GROTEFELD HOFFMANN - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Partner, Los Angeles Office
Adam Romney is a partner in the firm's Los Angeles office. His practice focuses primarily on civil litigation related to wildland fires and other catastrophic losses.
Mr. Romney handles every aspect of mass tort subrogation cases with a versatile skill set and with a special emphasis on scientifically complex theories of causation and catastrophic product failures. He has litigated wildfire subrogation claims against utilities and public entities for a decade, including numerous matters of national prominence.
As career high-stakes litigator, Mr. Romney has extensive cross-disciplinary experience in developing complex and novel legal theories across a broad array of practice areas. Before focusing his practice on subrogation, he worked in Silicon Valley defending large corporate clients in securities litigation matters, national security contracting disputes, and litigation against international institutions. Drawing from this broad base of experience, Mr. Romney approaches new legal problems from an unusual perspective and often perceives legal avenues that would remain otherwise invisible.
Mr. Romney also drafts and argues appeals in both State and Federal court, authoring a successful petition for certiorari to the United States Supreme Court in just his first year of practice.
Mr. Romney earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Emory University and his law degree from Vanderbilt Law School, financing his legal education by working part-time as a coach for the University's undergraduate policy debate team. In his spare time, Adam taught himself to speak Russian and Ukrainian, and is the co-founder and president of United Ukraine: a charity focusing on direct support for civilians adversely impacted by the war in Ukraine.
Education
Emory University, B.A. 2005
Vanderbilt Law School, J.D. 2008
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Partner, Chicago Office
Amy Dvorak is a partner in the firm's Chicago office. She concentrates her nationally based practice on subrogation and recovery involving extensive property damage claims.
Ms. Dvorak routinely handles and litigates cases in jurisdictions throughout the country. She has tried numerous cases to verdict and has extensive arbitration and alternate dispute resolution experience. Ms. Dvorak handles high value subrogation claims, including matters arising from design and construction errors, fires, explosions, structural collapses, defective products, plumbing and HVAC failures, and transportation and cargo losses. Her practice also includes the handling of vehicular defect related fires. Ms. Dvorak has represented clients in national mass tort litigations wherein exemplar plaintiff's subrogation claims involve various product liability matters and wildland fires.
Ms. Dvorak is admitted to practice in Illinois and the United States District Court for the Northern, Central and Southern Districts of Illinois, the District of Colorado, and the Eastern District of Wisconsin. Ms. Dvorak earned her B.S. degree from Miami University in 2001. In 2004, she received her law degree from The John Marshall Law School and was admitted to practice later that year.
Ms. Dvorak is an avid golfer and has been a longtime member of Olympia Fields Country Club. She actively supports the First Tee, Evans Scholars Foundation, The Gem Foundation, and The Ronald McDonald House.
Education
Miami University, B.S. 2001
The John Marshall Law School, J.D. 2004
Job Titles:
- Managing Partner
- Managing Partner, Austin Office
- Member of the Claims
Anooj Thakrar is the managing partner of the firm's Austin office. His practice focuses on general and commercial litigation with an emphasis on large loss property subrogation, construction defect, and product liability matters. Mr. Thakrar also represents the insurance industry on complex claims stemming from wildland fires, hurricanes, explosions, and other catastrophic events.
Mr. Thakrar has a multi-jurisdictional practice and litigates cases throughout the United States. He has tried cases to verdict in both State and Federal courts situated in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Georgia.
Mr. Thakrar is licensed to practice law in the State of Texas, the State of Illinois, the United States Court of Federal Claims, the United States District Court for the Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas, the Northern and Central Districts of Illinois, the Eastern District of Wisconsin and the District of New Mexico, He earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree from the State University of New York College at Geneseo in 1999 and his Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law (formerly The John Marshall Law School) in 2003.
Mr. Thakrar is a nominated member of the Claims and Litigation Management Alliance. He has volunteered his time as an instructor for the Constitutional Rights Foundation of Chicago and as a Judge for The John Marshall Law School's Dean Fred Herzog Moot Court Competition. He also served as an instructor for Fire & Arson Investigator Training at the College of DuPage's Homeland Education Center. He currently serves as an Executive Board Member and General Counsel for the Capitol Area Council, Boy Scouts of America (Austin, Texas). Mr. Thakrar was named a Rising Star by Illinois Super Lawyers in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016. He was named a Rising Star by Texas Super Lawyers in 2017.
Education
State University of New York College at Geneseo, B.A. 1999
University of Illinois Chicago School of Law (formerly The John Marshall Law School), J.D. 2003
Job Titles:
- Managing Partner
- Managing Partner, Chicago Office
Brad Gordon is the managing partner of the firm's Chicago office. He focuses his practice on litigation, representing the interests of corporations and insurance companies throughout the United States. Mr. Gordon has extensive experience in all phases of complex litigation, as well as aggregation of mass tort claims. In addition to handling subrogation matters involving product failures and construction defects, Mr. Gordon has also prosecuted high-profile claims involving Ford Ignition Switches, Ford Speed Control Deactivation Switches and Torchiere Halogen Lamps.
Mr. Gordon takes great pride in his long-standing relationships with clients as he leads them through all phases of litigation. He is also well-versed in resolving matters through alternative dispute resolution in forums such as the American Arbitration Association and Inter-Company Arbitration.
Mr. Gordon is licensed to practice law in Illinois, Indiana and Minnesota. He is also admitted to the United States District Court for the Central, Northern and Southern Districts of Illinois, the Eastern and Western Districts of Wisconsin, the Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana, the Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas, the Northern District of Texas, the District of Colorado and the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Iowa in 1993 and his Juris Doctor from DePaul College of Law in 1997.
Mr. Gordon frequently presents and lectures at the National Association of Subrogation Professional's annual conference, along with other regional insurance seminars. Recent presentations include Fundamentals of a Relationship between Origin and Cause Investigator and Attorney, Spoliation of Evidence, and Aggregation of Claims. Recently, he was a participant in an expert panel at the Annual Meeting of the Illinois Association of Arson Investigators and was named to the IAAI Insurance Training and Membership Advisory Committee. In 2015, he achieved an AV Preeminent Martindale-Hubbell rating, the highest possible rating for an attorney for both ethical standards and legal ability. In his spare time, Mr. Gordon has volunteered his time with the local YMCA and Y-ME programs, along with becoming involved with the Court Appointed Special Advocates program of Lake County, Illinois. Mr. Gordon also spends his time volunteering for the Lincolnshire Sports Association.
Education
University of Iowa, B.A 1993
DePaul College of Law, J.D. 1997
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate, Portland Office
Carson Smith is an associate in the firm's Portland office. His multi-state practice focuses on large property subrogation and recovery, wildland interface fires, and products liability. Prior to joining Grotefeld Hoffmann, Mr. Smith worked for a large California defense firm on cases for clients ranging from public agencies, school districts, fire authorities, water districts, medical services providers, commercial clients, product manufacturers, and joint power authorities.
Mr. Smith has extensive experience in complex litigation matters at all phases of development. He is skilled at coordinating the investigation and prosecution of property damage claims arising from fire and explosion losses, plumbing and HVAC failures, construction defects, excavation, maritime and transportation losses. He has successfully handled actions involving product defect claims and represented clients in arbitration and mediation.
Mr. Smith is licensed to practice law in the States of Oregon, Washington and California, and is admitted to the United States District Court for the District of Oregon, the Western District of Washington, and the Central and Southern Districts of California. Mr. Smith earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Riverside with a double major in History and English. He earned his J.D., as well as a Masters in Environmental Law, from Vermont Law School.
In his free time, Carson enjoys traveling and exploring the outdoors with his wife and young sons. He also volunteers for numerous organizations including the Spinal Cord Injury Network, the Boy Scouts of America and various school, sports and religious organizations in Lane County.
Education
University of California, Riverside
Vermont School of Law
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate, Austin Office
Cristina Gonzalez is an associate in the firm's Austin office. Ms. Gonzalez currently focuses her practice in the areas of subrogation recovery and products liability matters. She also has experience representing clients in matters stemming from large catastrophic events such as wildland fires.
Ms. Gonzalez graduated magna cum laude in 2014 from The University of Texas Pan-American with a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and Minors in Political Science and English. She earned her Juris Doctor from The University of Texas School of Law in 2017.
While in law school, Ms. Gonzalez was an Executive Editor of the American Journal of Criminal Law and a member of the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund. Prior to joining Grotefeld Hoffmann, Ms. Gonzalez worked as a clerk at the Travis County District Attorney's Office in the Family Justice Division Civil sector.
Ms. Gonzalez is licensed to practice law in Texas and is admitted to the United States District Court for the Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas and the District of New Mexico.
Education
The University of Texas Pan-American, B.S. 2014
The University of Texas School of Law, J.D. 2017
Job Titles:
- Managing Partner
- Managing Partner, Minneapolis Office
Daniel Berglund is the managing partner of the firm's Minneapolis office. His practice focuses on civil litigation related to catastrophic property loss, including fires, explosions, hurricanes, floods and other weather-related losses, equipment failures, production facility losses, and losses caused by negligent design and construction. Mr. Berglund has extensive experience related to coverage disputes between insurers and policyholders, including extra-contractual claims. He has also been involved in a number of multi-million dollar subrogation recoveries. Mr. Berglund has also handled a number of high-profile appeals before state and federal courts of appeal.
Mr. Berglund's publications include "Applying the Attorney-Client Privilege to Investigations Involving Attorneys: What is Fair Game in Discovery? The Attorney-Client Privilege in Civil Litigation," 4 ed. A.B.A 2008, Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section (co-author) and "Taking the ‘I' Out of Suicide: The Minnesota Supreme Court's Alarming Extension of Duty in "Exceptional Relationships,'" 28 W. Mitchell L. Rev. 1307, 2002. His presentations include Excluding the Expert Witness in a Fire Case, Effectively Handling Fire Litigation, at the Minnesota State Bar Association CLE (co-presenter); "Payback: When is the Insurer Entitled to Repayment?" at the 2017 American Bar Association Property Insurance Law Committee Annual Spring Meeting (co-presenter); and "Am I Appealing" at the 2020 NASP Annual Conference.
Mr. Berglund earned his Bachelor of Arts in French in 1996 and Bachelor of Arts in Journalism in 2000 from the University of Minnesota. He earned his Juris Doctor magna cum laude from the William Mitchell College of Law in 2003. He was also a staff member of the William Mitchell Law Review from 2001 to 2002 and Editor of the William Mitchell Law Review from 2002 to 2003. Mr. Berglund clerked for the Honorable Edward Toussaint, former Chief Judge of Minnesota Court of Appeals (2003-2004) and served as a judicial extern for the Honorable Michael Davis, U.S. District Court (2003).
Education
University of Minnesota, B.A. 1996, 2000
William Mitchell College of Law, J.D. 2003
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Partner, Dallas Office
David Fisk is a partner in the firm's Dallas office. Mr. Fisk concentrates his practice on large-loss property subrogation and construction matters, primarily representing businesses, homeowners, and builder's risk, property, and liability insurers pursuing property damage claims against tortfeasors and other wrongdoers. His subrogation practice involves catastrophic losses resulting from construction and design defects, fires, explosions, machinery and equipment failures, and gas and water leaks, as well as transit losses. Mr. Fisk also counsels developers, owners, and general contractors in construction disputes and on contract issues.
Mr. Fisk's legal experience began at an early age, clerking for his father's construction law and litigation firm in high school, and then working for a construction, environmental, and utility law firm while studying economics and computer science at the University of Texas at Austin. While in law school at St. Mary's University in San Antonio, Mr. Fisk clerked in the legal department at Zachry Construction Corporation and was introduced to the field of subrogation during a summer clerkship at a firm in Dallas.
Since graduating from law school in 2005, Mr. Fisk has represented clients throughout Texas and Oklahoma and handled cases across the United States with the assistance of local counsel. Mr. Fisk is an active member of NASP, LEA, and PLRB and has been published in NASP's Subrogator magazine, The Construction Lawyer journal, and Construction Today magazine. He is also a co-author of Chapter 162: Amount Recoverable in Subrogation in the New Appleman on Insurance Law Library Edition and has presented on subrogation topics at the annual conferences for NASP and PLRB. In 2021, he wrote a white paper on The Ins and Outs of Waivers of Subrogation for the 34th Annual Texas Construction Law Conference.
Mr. Fisk was selected to Texas Rising Stars by Super Lawyers from 2014 through 2020 and as a Texas Super Lawyer in 2022. Mr. Fisk has also been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America in 2022 and 2023 for work in construction law.
Education
University of Texas at Austin, B.A., 2002
St. Mary's University School of Law, J.D., 2005
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Partner, San Francisco Office
David Kestenbaum is a partner in the firm's San Francisco office. Mr. Kestenbaum joined the firm in 2018 and his practice focuses on subrogation recovery, specifically in the areas of tort, products liability, contractual disputes, and wild fires.
Mr. Kestenbaum has extensive experience in civil litigation beginning with his work at a medium-sized firm from 2008 to 2012 and then with a large firm from 2012 to 2016. He was named a Super Lawyers "Rising Star" in Northern California in 2016 for Products Liability and has litigated cases throughout California, in state and federal courts. His prior work focused on complex civil defense litigation involving environmental/toxic torts. He has prepared dozens of cases for trial and has tried a number of cases in various counties in the Northern California Bay Area.
Mr. Kestenbaum earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from University of California at Santa Barbara in 2003 graduating with high honors and his Juris Doctor degree from University of California Hastings College of the Law in 2007.
While in law school, Mr. Kestenbaum competed in moot court and, as a second year student, his team placed as a semi-finalist in the John Marshall Law School - Privacy Competition and were awarded best Petitioner's brief. As a third year student, he served a Co-Chairman for the Moot Court Honors Society and his competition team won the Tulane Law School - Sports Law Competition as well as winning for Best Brief. He has served as an alumni consultant and coach to the moot court program at Hastings.
Education
University of California at Santa Barbara, B.A. 2003, with high honors
University of California Hasting College of the Law, J.D. 2007
Job Titles:
- of Counsel
- of Counsel, Minneapolis Office
David Evinger is of counsel in the firm's Minneapolis office. Mr. Evinger's practice focuses on catastrophe litigation with a primary emphasis on fires, explosions, structural, mechanical and electrical failures, construction project failures, floods, earthquakes and other natural and man-made disasters. He represents insurance companies as defendants and plaintiffs on such matters across the United States and abroad.
Mr. Evinger brings over 43 years of legal experience handling major catastrophe losses. His expertise includes property insurance coverage and loss measurement litigation. He also advises liability and excess insurers of the exposures presented by large industrial and commercial losses. Mr. Evinger is frequently retained by Energy Risk Insurers for losses involving refineries, chemical plants, oil and gas pipeline systems, power plants, mines, and wood product industry facilities. He has defended insurance clients in several nine figure disputes and he has obtained nine figure subrogation recoveries for his insurance clients. His experience also includes national and international contract dispute litigation and arbitration cases.
Mr. Evinger earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Jamestown in Jamestown, North Dakota and his Juris Doctor Degree from the University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, Indiana. He also did undergraduate and graduate studies at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, at Harvard University, and he studied Common Market Law at the London School of Economics. Mr. Evinger is licensed to practice law in Minnesota and North Dakota. He has pro hac vice admissions in most United States jurisdictions and is admitted in the U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit and Eighth Circuit, as well as the U.S. District Courts of Colorado, Minnesota and North Dakota.
Mr. Evinger was a member of the National Fire Protection Association and has been a principle member or an alternate member on the NFPA 921 Technical Committee, which writes the Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigation. The NFPA 921 document has been cited by more than 100 courts across the country. Mr. Evinger has served on the attorney advisory committee of the International Association of Arson Investigators. Mr. Evinger is also a Qualified Neutral under Minnesota Rule 114 and he is actively involved in mediations and arbitrations.
Mr. Evinger's publications include, "A Guide to Fire and Explosion Investigations," Law 360, May 10, 2010, and "How Fast Can a Fire or Explosion Case be Extinguished?: Recent Developments Involving NFPA 921: Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations," Coverage, Vol. 20, No. 2, March/April, 2010.
Mr. Evinger has served on various boards at Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minneapolis and St. Paul. He and his wife, Lynn, established the Samantha Lynn Evinger Foundation at Children's Hospital that supports the Cancer Kids Fund at the hospital.
Mr. Evinger serves on the Board of Trustees of the University of Jamestown. He also serves on the Board of the CLPC in Minneapolis, a board the represents over 9,000 residents in the historic Loring Park neighborhood. Mr. Evinger has previously served on the Board of Directors of the Due Process and Reconciliation Board of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the Board of Directors for Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis, and on the Advisory Committee Board for St. Josephs Home for Children in Minneapolis.
Education
University of Jamestown, B.A. 1974
University of Notre Dame, J.D. 1979
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Partner, Chicago Office
Emma Gaddipati is a partner in the firm's Chicago office. Ms. Gaddipati practices primarily in the areas of subrogation recovery and product liability. She represents clients before various state and federal courts throughout the country.
Ms. Gaddipati has significant experience coordinating the investigation and prosecution of property damage claims arising from large fires, explosions, floods, excavation, and construction defects. Ms. Gaddipati's experience also includes complex litigation and alternative dispute resolution. She has successfully handled multiple consolidated actions involving product defect claims and represented clients in arbitration and mediation, both voluntary and court ordered.
Ms. Gaddipati received her Bachelor of Arts degree magna cum laude in Political Science from DePaul University in 2005. She graduated from The John Marshall Law School in 2008, where she was a member of the Dean's List, Associate Justice of the Moot Court Executive Board, and winner of the Dean Fred F. Herzog Moot Court Competition. She participated in the August A. Rendings National Products Liability Moot Court Competition, finishing as finalist and winner of the best individual oral argument.
Education
DePaul University, B.A. 2005
The John Marshall Law School, J.D. 2008
Job Titles:
- Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization, Chairperson / Volunteer
Job Titles:
- of Counsel
- of Counsel, Chicago Office
Howard Lieber is of counsel in the firm's Chicago office. Mr. Lieber practices in both State and Federal courts handling a variety of matters including class actions, product liability/construction defect claims, professional liability claims, directors/officers claims, errors/omission claims, insurance coverage matters, warehouse/bailment matters, contract matters and premises liability. This representation includes handling all stages of litigation including pre-trial phases, trials and appeals. Mr. Lieber's class action work has included defending against nationwide, state-wide and county-wide class actions in both state and Federal courts. Mr. Lieber represents insurance carriers, corporations and individual professionals in these types of matters, and has also wide ranging experience in insurance coverage litigation involving the interpretation of insurance policies.
Mr. Lieber's retention in class action, product liability and construction defect cases has included representing manufacturers, distributors and suppliers of products which ranged from private aircraft and plumbing components to mini-bikes and motorcycle windscreens. Mr. Lieber has also been involved in litigation involving chemical products that allegedly had toxic properties that caused property damage to food grade products in storage. As part of his representation of clients in these areas of the law, Mr. Lieber has engaged in motion practice and has had success in obtaining dismissal of clients from a variety of cases including class actions and product liability claims. Recently, Mr. Lieber obtained a dismissal from a wrongful death/product liability suit based upon the doctrine of successor liability.
As part of his practice in the area of directors and officers law, Mr. Lieber acted as the lead defense attorney in a derivative suit alleging breaches of fiduciary duty against former directors and officers of a condominium association in a 311 unit property. That matter Davis v. Dyson, (2008 Ill. App. Lexis 1283) was the subject of a December 19, 2008 decision by the Illinois Appellate Court that established, and clarified, major principles of law in this area.
Mr. Lieber is admitted to practice in the State of Illinois, in the United States District Court for the Northern and Central Districts of Illinois, and in the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals and has participated in matters before various panels of the: Illinois Appellate Court; the Seventh, Eighth and Ninth Circuit Courts of Appeal; the United Stated Judicial Panel on Multi-District Litigation; as well as the Nevada and Iowa Supreme Courts. Mr. Lieber has a national practice having been admitted pro hac vice to practice in a number of jurisdictions outside of Illinois including: California, Arizona, Hawaii, Washington, Oregon, Minnesota, Nevada, Colorado, Oklahoma, Ohio, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Texas, Wisconsin and Iowa. Mr. Lieber received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Loyola University of Chicago in 1980 and his Juris Doctor degree from Loyola University of Chicago Law School in 1983.
Education
Loyola University of Chicago, BA 1980
Loyola University of Chicago Law School, J.D., 1983
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Partner, Los Angeles Office
Jeffery A. Korinko is a partner in the firm's Los Angeles office. Mr. Korinko is very experienced subrogation attorney, having been exclusively dedicated to the prosecution of subrogation matters since 1995. For the last 12 years, he has focused on the handling of property subrogation claims involving fire and water damage losses at commercial as well as at residential properties, most often against product manufacturers/retailers, contractors, utilities, government entities, and/or property owners/tenants.
Mr. Korinko has found that offering clients input on the selection of early involvement experts has proven to be invaluable and generated more favorable subrogation results. In addition, joining experts at loss sites has helped Mr. Korinko to better understand the cause of the loss, the resultant damages and allowed him to engage with the policyholder which helps in all facets of the claim assignment.
Mr. Korinko was formerly employed as an in-house counsel for Nationwide Trial Division Subrogation. Before joining Nationwide in 2010, he was responsible for managing the high-volume California Automobile Subrogation Litigation unit for Government Employees Insurance Company (GEICO).
Mr. Korinko earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree from California State University, Fullerton and his Juris Doctor Degree from Western State University College of Law. He also received an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Criminal Justice from the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Illinois and received additional training through the United States Army Military Police School and the Nuclear Biological Chemical Warfare School. Mr. Korinko was a United States Army Reservist from 1984 until he was honorably discharged in 1990.
Mr. Korinko has been active with the National Association of Subrogation Professionals (NASP) having served as C-Chair of the NASP Southern California Chapter from 2012 - 2016, and as Co-Chair of the NASP Litigation Skills Conference in the Spring of 2015.
To better serve his clients in mediations, Mr. Korinko completed the No. 1 Ranked Mediator Certification program provided by the Strauss Institute for Alternative Resolution which is part of Pepperdine University's College of Law.
Education
California State University, Fullerton, B.A., 1986
Western State University College of Law, J.D., 1993
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate, Austin Office
Jena M. Shillingburg is an associate in the firm's Austin Office. Ms. Shillingburg focuses her practice primarily on subrogation recovery and products liability matters.
Ms. Shillingburg graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 2015 with a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations and a Minor in Government. She attended St. Mary's School of Law where she graduated Cum Laude with her Juris Doctor in 2018.
While in law school, Ms. Shillingburg participated in the Linda and Dave Schlueter First Year Moot Court Competition and was an active member of Phi Delta Phi. She also received her certification as a court appointed mediator and was named to the Dean's List multiple semesters during her legal education. Ms. Shillingburg consistently worked as a law clerk throughout her three years of school.
Prior to joining Grotefeld Hoffmann, Ms. Shillingburg clerked for two general civil litigation firms in Austin, gaining extensive litigation experience in both State and Federal courts. She also clerked for a personal injury firm representing plaintiffs in various vehicle accidents, premises liability claims, products liability claims, and construction defect matters.
Education
The University of Texas at Austin, B.S. 2015
St. Mary's School of Law, J.D. 2018
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate, Chicago Office
Jessica Odum is an associate in the firm's Chicago office. Her practice focuses primarily in the areas of property subrogation, products liability, and premises liability. Ms. Odum has experience dealing with catastrophic property damage losses stemming from fire and flood occurrences. She is well-versed in conducting fact and expert discovery, drafting dispositive and evidentiary motions, exploring alternative dispute resolutions, and negotiating favorable settlements.
Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Odum specialized in defending manufacturers of industrial, commercial, and pharmaceutical products in mass tort, product liability, and premises liability cases. She has served as national coordinating counsel and regional counsel for both product manufacturers and premises owners, regularly assessing and analyzing risk, developing long-term litigation strategies, and implementing case protocols. Ms. Odum's time on the defense side provides her with a unique, insider advantage in representing plaintiffs in the same lawsuits that she previously defended.
Before pursuing a career in law, Ms. Odum worked for several international non-profit organizations as an executive assistant and project manager, roles that solidified her commitment to her community and pro bono practice. Ms. Odum continues to support the community through her work as a volunteer attorney for Equip for Equality, an organization that works to advance the educational rights of children with special needs.
Ms. Odum earned her B.S. in Journalism and Political Science from Miami University and received her J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law. Ms. Odum lives in the city with her husband, three children, and mini-goldendoodle.
Education
Miami University, 2015
Chicago-Kent College of Law, J.D., 2013
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate, San Francisco Office
Julia R. Sullivan is an associate in the firm's San Francisco office. Her practice focuses primarily in the areas of property subrogation, products liability, and premises liability.
Ms. Sullivan graduated from the San Diego State University in San Diego, California in 2019 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. She earned her Juris Doctor from the University of California Hastings School of the Law in 2022.While in law school, Ms. Sullivan served as the Executive Development Editor for the Hastings Environmental Law Journal. As a first-year student, she was awarded Best Oral Argument in Legal Research and Writing. She is a member of Hastings' Pro Bono Society.
Ms. Sullivan is admitted to practice in California.
Education
San Diego State University, B.A. 2019
University of California Hastings College of the Law, J.D. 2022
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate, Portland Office
Kaitlyn Dent is an associate in the firm's Portland office. Her practice focuses on large property subrogation and recovery, including fire losses and products liability.
Prior to joining Grotefeld Hoffmann, Ms. Dent specialized in civil litigation serving clients in the state-regulated cannabis industry and assisted in drafting Measure 109, a 2020 Oregon ballot measure legalizing and regulating the therapeutic use of psilocybin mushrooms. Ms. Dent has successfully represented clients in cases including contract disputes, employment disputes, tort claims, and multiple federal RICO cases. She is licensed to practice in Alaska, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming.
Ms. Dent earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Associate of Science in Film and Theatre Performance at Pacific Union College in Angwin, California, and earned her J.D from Lewis & Clark Law School in Portland. While in law school, Kaitlyn worked for the patent law department at Whirlpool Corporation and was a member of the LGBTQ student union (OutLaw). She also served as vice president of the Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law group and president of the Students for Sensible Drug Policy law student chapter.
Outside of work, Kaitlyn enjoys textile arts, camping, and co-runs a Portland-based book club currently boasting over 1000 members.
Education
Pacific Union College, B.S./A.S., cum laude
Lewis & Clark Law School, J.D.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Partner, Geneva Office
Kathleen Reid is a partner in the firm's Geneva, Illinois office. Ms. Reid's main area of concentration includes the defense of products liability, premises liability, and discrimination claims for a variety of self-insured retail and other businesses, product manufacturers and suppliers, and national insurance carriers in state and federal venues across the country, as well as the Illinois Department of Human Rights.
Ms. Reid has successfully handled complex products liability and construction defect litigation in multi-million dollar actions, obtaining motions to dismiss and motions for summary judgment on behalf of her clients. She also works extensively with her clients in the area of risk avoidance and has favorably resolved disputes prior to the initiation of litigation.
Ms. Reid also has extensive experience in other complex civil litigation practice areas, including construction accident and construction defect litigation, transportation, long-term care facility and nursing home defense, commercial and residential premises liability, and municipal and public entity liability, including Section 1983 lawsuits. Ms. Reid has also handled large loss subrogation recovery matters, involving both fire and flood damages.
In 2010, Ms. Reid was named among AIG Insurance's "Top Ten Attorneys" in the nation. In 2014, she achieved an AV Preeminent Martindale-Hubbell rating, the highest possible rating for an attorney for both ethical standards and legal ability. Ms. Reid is a nominated member of the Claims and Litigation Management Alliance, as well as a nominated committee member for the Retail, Restaurant and Hospitality Committee. She is a strong, detail oriented advocate for her clients and prides herself on efficient file handling.
Ms. Reid earned her B. A. in English Literature from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, and received her J. D. from The John Marshall Law School in Chicago, Illinois.
Education
University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, B.A. 1995
The John Marshall Law School, J.D., 1998
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate, San Francisco Office
Kelli Herzog is an associate in the firm's San Francisco office. Ms. Herzog's primary focus is on product liability litigation, including breach of warranty matters, in state and federal courts. Ms. Herzog handles cases from the filing of the initial complaint through to trial.
Before joining Grotefeld Hoffmann, she represented manufacturer and contractor defendants in products liability litigation matters in state and federal courts that gives her with a unique, insider advantage in representing plaintiffs in the same lawsuits that she previously defended.
Ms. Herzog earned her B.A. from the University of California, Santa Cruz and her J.D. from The University of San Francisco.
Education
University of California, Santa Cruz, B.A.
The University of San Francisco, J.D.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate, Portland Office
Kevin Schummer is an associate in the firm's Portland office. His practice focuses on large property subrogation, including fire losses, water losses, and products liability. Mr. Schummer has extensive experience in complex litigation matters in addition to his work for various transportation and shipping companies. Prior to joining Grotefeld Hoffmann, Mr. Schummer worked for a large Northwest-based defense firm on cases ranging from products liability, breach of contract, and asbestos defense. Prior to that, he worked on the Portland Harbor Superfund matter on behalf of a former ship contractor.
Mr. Schummer received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI and received his J.D. from DePaul University College of Law in Chicago. During his time at DePaul, Kevin was a member of the Latina/o Law Student Association (LLSA), as well as the Moot Court Trial Team.
In his free time, Kevin enjoys spending time with his wife and young sons, traveling, endurance sports.
Education
Marquette University-Milwaukee, B.A. 2002
DePaul University College of Law, J.D. 2005
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Partner, Austin Office
Kevin Mosley is a partner with the firm's Austin office. Mr. Mosley currently focuses his practice in the areas of product liability, general civil litigation, intellectual property, and subrogation matters. Mr. Mosley also has extensive experience representing clients in matters stemming from large catastrophic events such as wildland interface fires and explosions.
Mr. Mosley earned his B.A. in Political Science from Southern Methodist University in 2003 and obtained his law degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law in 2008. During law school, Mr. Mosley received CALI Awards for Excellence in trial advocacy and legal writing, research and analysis. Mr. Mosley earned a Certificate from Chicago-Kent's Labor and Employment Law Clinic and was a member of the Dean's List.
Mr. Mosley is licensed to practice law in Illinois and Texas and is admitted to the United States District Court for the Northern and Southern Districts of Illinois, the United States District Court for the Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas, the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico and the United States District Court for the District of Colorado.
Education
Southern Methodist University B.A. 2003
Chicago-Kent College of Law, J.D. 2008
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate, Minneapolis Office
Laura Johnson is an associate in the firm's Minneapolis Office. Her practice focuses primarily in the areas of insurance litigation, representing insurers in both coverage and subrogation matters.
Prior to joining Grotefeld Hoffmann, Ms. Johnson worked at a personal injury firm representing Plaintiffs who had suffered serious injury in a wide range of cases.
Ms. Johnson attended the University of Minnesota and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism in 2006. While at the University of Minnesota, she received numerous accolades including Academic All Big Ten honors all four years. She earned her Juris Doctor cum laude from William Mitchell College of Law in 2015. While in law school, Ms. Johnson was a CALI award recipient and a four-time Dean's List honoree. Ms. Johnson was also a member of the Rosalie E. Wahl Moot Court and served as a judicial extern for the Honorable Tanya M. Bransford. As a participant in the school's study abroad program, Ms. Johnson had the opportunity to study under John Roberts, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
Ms. Johnson is licensed to practice law in the state of Minnesota and is also admitted to the United States Court for the District of Minnesota.
Education
University of Minnesota, B.A. 2006
William Mitchell College of Law, J.D. 2015
Job Titles:
- Managing Partner, Dallas Office
Lawrence "Larry" Bowman is the managing partner of the firm's Dallas office. For more than three decades, Mr. Bowman has represented clients in complex commercial litigation, including construction, energy, contractual, tort, product liability, intellectual property, antitrust, and securities matters. He counsels a broad spectrum of individual corporate and insurance company clients in the courtroom during trials and around the negotiation table in the settlement of significant cases.
Mr. Bowman enjoys representing people and organizations involved in building things and adding value to their communities. He frequently advises contractors and subcontractors and other construction-related companies dealing with disasters such as fires, crane failures, and structural collapses. The process of large-scale commercial construction comes fraught with many kinds of risks, and Mr. Bowman's clients rely on him to guide them through the aftermath of accidents, injuries, construction defects, and other challenging situations.
With many years of experience and an in-depth insight into the legal landscape, Mr. Bowman quickly reads and understands the relationships among the parties involved in conflicts stemming from project incidents. He adeptly synthesizes information-including physical evidence, eyewitness testimonies, and personal observations-to create coherent and influential accounts that explain why and how something happened, who is responsible, who may not be responsible.
When clients hire Mr. Bowman, he takes the time to discuss their issues empathetically and thoroughly, see things from their perspective, and gain a keen understanding of their problems in all their dimensions. He then draws on his broad and deep knowledge to create sensible strategies that contain and manage problems while helping clients attain their goals. If courtroom litigation is the best path forward, Mr. Bowman brings skilled and passionate advocacy to maximize outcomes.
Mr. Bowman earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree from La Salle University and his Juris Doctor Degree from The Dickinson School of Law, Pennsylvania State University. He is licensed to practice law in Texas and Pennsylvania, the U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Southern and Western Districts of Texas and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. He is a frequent author and speaker for many organizations, including National Association of Subrogation Professionals, National Economic Research Association, Property Loss Research Bureau, and bar associations and clients in the insurance industry.
Throughout his career, Mr. Bowman has achieved a high degree of peer recognition and professional development, including his selection as a Member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, Best Lawyers in America© by the U.S. News & World Report, Super Lawyer in Texas, and AV Preeminent® rating by Martindale Hubbell.
In his free time, Larry is an avid reader of many types of prose and frequently attends movies and theater performances. In addition to swimming, hiking, and playing golf, he travels often for both work and pleasure and enjoys spending time with his wife Julia, their three children, and five grandchildren.
Education
La Salle University, B.A., 1975
Pennsylvania State University, The Dickinson School of Law, J.D., 1978
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Partner, San Francisco Office
Margaret Sell is a partner in the firm's San Francisco office. Ms. Sell has engaged in the practice of law for over 25 years. She focuses her practice on subrogation, product liability, warranty, construction and commercial litigation. Ms. Sell has represented insurance companies, manufacturers and suppliers of automobiles, pumps, guns, storage units, and various automotive parts, including tires, mufflers and brakes. She has represented the same major automotive manufacturer for many years.
Ms. Sell has obtained positive results on behalf of her clients in cases involving fires, floods and other forms of property damage. She has represented insurers, owners, manufacturers, suppliers, developers, general contractors, grading and excavation suppliers and contractors, heating and air conditioning contractors, electrical contractors, tile manufacturers and contractors, roofing contractors, window manufacturers and many others involved in both residential and commercial construction.
Ms. Sell has successfully represented landlords in disputes filed in multiple jurisdictions following strict rent ordinance laws, such as San Francisco and Berkeley, California. She has also represented manufacturers, suppliers and contractors in the automotive, refrigeration, refinery, air conditioning and construction industries. She is regularly able to obtain minimal settlements in the Lemon Law matters she handles for her automotive client, and obtained voluntary dismissals or minimal settlements in the asbestos cases she previously handled for the manufacturers and suppliers of automotive parts, refrigeration units, compressors, boilers, air conditioning units, gears, couplings and stress relief products.
While in law school, Ms. Sell served as an intern in the San Francisco District Attorney's Office. She also served as an intern for Justice Timothy A. Reardon of the California Court of Appeals.
Ms. Sell began her practice with the San Francisco firm, Lynch, Gilardi & Grummer, where she was successful in the defense of many clients in construction and products liability, personal injury and employment litigation. She then switched to the other side of the table and worked with the firm of Grotefeld Denenberg, where she successfully represented insurance companies in the pursuit of subrogation recovery arising out of fire, water and other property damage losses. Ms. Sell then returned to the defense world when she joined the San Francisco office of Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis. In 2016, Ms. Sell became a partner at, and later an owner of, the San Rafael firm of Parton & Sell. Most recently, in 2021, Ms. Sell returned to subrogation when she joined Grotefeld Hoffmann, where she has resumed her successful representation of various insurance companies in their pursuit of subrogation recovery arising out of fire, water and other property damage losses.
Education
University of San Francisco, B.A. cum laude, Communication Arts, 1991
San Francisco Law School, J.D., 1996
Job Titles:
- American Club, Board Member
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Partner, Geneva Office
Mark Meyers is a partner in the firm's Geneva office. He focuses his practice on insurance subrogation and general liability defense for insurers, specifically within the areas of products liability, premises liability, construction defect litigation, and general negligence actions. He has substantial experience in civil litigation, including dispositive motions, discovery motions, arbitration hearings, and trials.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Meyers worked for a civil litigation firm in the Chicagoland area, where he represented financial institutions in state and federal bankruptcy court. Mr. Meyers has achieved numerous and noteworthy successes in his career, including substantial victories of highly-contested bench trials, arbitrations, and dispositive motions. With the assistance of Mr. Meyers, his clients were either able to obtain meaningful recovery of their claims, and/or protection from significant liability.
Mr. Meyers is licensed to practice law in the State of Illinois and State of Colorado. He is also admitted to the United States District Court for the Central, Northern, and Southern Districts of Illinois, as well as the United States District Court of Colorado.
Education
Moody Bible Institute, B.A. 2007
Northern Illinois University, J.D. 2011
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Partner, Chicago Office
Mark McGuire is a partner in the firm's Chicago office. Mr. McGuire focuses his practice on litigation matters involving insurance subrogation, products liability, premises liability and insurance defense. He has substantial experience dealing with catastrophic property damage losses stemming from fire and flood occurrences.
Mr. McGuire earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Minor in Environmental Science from the University of Illinois in 2008, where he was a member of the Dean's List for honors. In 2011, he earned his law degree from The John Marshall Law School where he was also a member of the Dean's List for honors. Mr. McGuire is licensed to practice law in the State of Illinois and is admitted to the United States District Court for the Central, Northern, and Southern Districts of Illinois. He has been named a Super Lawyers Rising Star for 2020-2021.
Mark McGuire is also a licensed real estate broker in the State of Illinois.
Education
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, B.S. 2008
The John Marshall Law School, J.D. 2011
Job Titles:
- Founding Member
- Founding Partner, Austin Office
Mark Grotefeld is a founding member of the firm. Mr. Grotefeld's trial practice is focused on complex civil cases involving matters that are both national and international in scope. Mr. Grotefeld received his B.A. from the University of Arizona in 1978 and his J.D. from the John Marshall Law School in 1981. He was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 1981, the Florida Bar in 1982, and the Texas Bar in 2013. Mr. Grotefeld has served as national and regional counsel in large scale catastrophic loss cases, as well as acting as a lead or co-lead liaison counsel in numerous wildfire matters, explosion events and weather-related occurrences. He has tried matters of national prominence in courts throughout the United States and has lectured on law topics in the United States, Canada and Europe.
In addition to being admitted to the Federal Trial Bar and multiple Federal District Courts, Mr. Grotefeld is licensed to practice before the United States Court of Federal Claims, the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court. Mr. Grotefeld's bar associations and professional affiliations include the American, Illinois, Florida, and Texas Bar Associations, the National Association of Subrogation Professionals, The National Fire Protection Association, the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association and the American Association of Justice.
Mr. Grotefeld served on the National Fire Protection Association's 2017 Task Force that was designated to rewrite the wildland fire investigation protocols found in NFPA 921 and presently serves as a member of NFPA 921's Technical Committee. Mr. Grotefeld frequently presents and lectures at National Association of Subrogation Professional's conferences. As co-chairman of the Wildland Fire Litigation Conference, Mr. Grotefeld has regularly presented and lectured at the WFLC annual conference.
Throughout his career Mr. Grotefeld has achieved a high degree of peer recognition and professional development, which includes his selection as a Super Lawyer in Texas.
Education
University of Arizona, B.A 1978
The John Marshall Law School, J.D. 1981
Job Titles:
- Managing Partner
- Managing Partner, San Francisco Office
- Member of the National Association of Subrogation Professionals Northern California Chapter
Maura Walsh Ochoa is the managing partner of the firm's San Francisco office. Her practice focuses on subrogation recovery, specifically in the areas of tort, product liability and contractual disputes. Ms. Ochoa is extremely proud of her enduring relationships with many clients and has litigated numerous complex, multi-party cases in various venues in California and other Western states.
Ms. Ochoa has significant experience with large scale catastrophic losses stemming from wildland interface fires and is also well versed in matters involving governmental takings under the California and United States Constitutions. Her multi-state practice focuses on commercial and residential property litigation in the western United States. In 2021, Ms. Ochoa was awarded the "California Lawyer of the Year" (CLAY) Award for her work as co-lead subrogation counsel in the Woolsey Fire matter that resulted in a $2.2 billion settlement.
Ms. Ochoa is admitted to practice law in the State of California, the United States District Court for the Northern, Southern, Eastern and Central Districts of California and the United States Court of Federal Claims. Ms. Ochoa earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Mary's College in 1992 and her Juris Doctor degree from San Francisco Law School in 1997. She was named to the Daily Journal's "Top 100 Women Lawyers" in California list for 2020.
Ms. Ochoa is a member of the National Association of Subrogation Professionals Northern California Chapter and in her spare time (besides raising her 3 young boys) has volunteered for numerous charities including the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and various school and sports programs in Marin County.
Education
St. Mary's College, B.A. 1992
San Francisco Law School, J.D. 1997
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Partner, Minneapolis Office
Meghan Rodda is a partner in the firm's Minneapolis office. Ms. Rodda has a multi-jurisdictional practice focused primarily on insurance litigation, representing several major national insurers in subrogation matters, specifically in the areas of tort, products liability, construction defects, fire and water losses, explosions, and workers compensation. Ms. Rodda's practice also includes coverage disputes between insurers and policyholders, including extra-contractual claims.
Ms. Rodda attended Davidson College in North Carolina and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature in 2006. She earned her Juris Doctor from Marquette University Law School in 2012 where she graduated Cum Laude and obtained a Certificate in Civil Litigation. While in law school, Ms. Rodda was a frequent member of the Dean's List, a recipient of multiple CALI awards, an Associate Justice of the Moot Court Executive Board, and a member of the Pro Bono Society. Ms. Rodda also interned for the Honorable Chief Justice Patience D. Roggensack of the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
Ms. Rodda is licensed to practice law in Minnesota and Wisconsin. She is also admitted to the United States District Court for the Districts of Minnesota, North Dakota, and Eastern and Western Districts of Wisconsin as well as the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.
In 2022, she was named a Minnesota Super Lawyers "Rising Star," a recognition of the top up-and-coming attorneys awarded to no more than 2.5 percent of practicing attorneys in Minnesota.
Outside of the office, Ms. Rodda is an avid runner, frequently found running after her two young children on the weekends.
Education
Davidson College, B.A. 2006
Marquette University Law School, J.D., cum laude, 2012
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Partner, Geneva Office
Michael Scola is a partner in the firm's Geneva office. Mr. Scola's practice focuses primarily on insurance subrogation, and defense matters, specifically in products liability, premises liability, and construction defect litigation. He has experience representing clients throughout all stages of the litigation process including: coordinating scene inspections and artifact examinations, working with experts and clients to develop sound causes of action, collecting crucial evidence through discovery, and using that evidence to achieve favorable results, including through trial.
Mr. Scola's product liability focus involves developing and coordinating large-scale and complex civil litigation against product manufacturers, including representing insurance company clients nationwide against home product manufacturers. He has also been successful in representing his clients utilizing alternative dispute resolution methods in both Illinois and Wisconsin, resolving cases through mediation and both binding, and non-binding, arbitration.
Mr. Scola has been invited to speak at large industry events and for individual clients on a range of topics related to subrogation recovery efforts and litigation strategy, including speaking at both the National Conference and Litigation Skills Conference for the National Association of Subrogation Professionals (NASP). Mr. Scola has been recognized by Super Lawyers as a Rising Star, consecutively, since 2019.
Mr. Scola attended Loyola University Chicago as the John F. Cuneo Scholar, a four-year full tuition scholarship, and graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2007. He earned his Juris Doctor from Marquette University Law School in 2010. While in law school, Mr. Scola was a frequent member of the Dean's List and recipient of multiple CALI awards. Prior to his admission to the Illinois Bar, Mr. Scola clerked for Judge Timothy M. Witkowiak in the Milwaukee County Circuit Court, Law Division, and for the Honorable Chief Justice Patience D. Roggensack of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, as a judicial extern. Mr. Scola is licensed to practice law in Wisconsin and Illinois.
Education
Loyola University Chicago, B.A. 2007
Marquette University Law School, J.D. 2010
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Co - Chair of the National Association of Subrogation
- Partner, Austin Office
Joel Radakovich is a partner in Grotefeld Hoffmann's Austin office. Mr. Radakovich focuses primarily on matters involving large loss property subrogation, including losses stemming from catastrophic events. He has a multi-jurisdictional practice, litigating cases throughout the United States and has tried cases to verdict in both State and Federal courts situated in Iowa and Texas.
Mr. Radakovich also has substantial experience in workers' compensation insurance subrogation matters. In addition, he has handled a variety of issues involving food law, with a focus on FDA and state regulation of product labeling.
Mr. Radakovich is currently a co-chair of the National Association of Subrogation Professionals legislative committee. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Minors in History and Literature from Marquette University in 2007. In 2015, he earned his law degree from The John Marshall Law School where he graduated Cum Laude. During his time at John Marshall, Mr. Radakovich was a member and staff editor for The John Marshall Law Review and was also a member of the Dean's List for honors. Mr. Radakovich is licensed to practice law in the State of Illinois, State of Texas, State of Montana, State of Arizona, State of Colorado, State of New Mexico, and is admitted to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Southern District of Illinois, and Northern District of Ohio.
Education
Marquette University, B.S. 2007
The John Marshall Law School, J.D. 2015
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Partner, Minneapolis Office
Patrick Jarosch is a partner in the firm's Minneapolis office. His practice focuses on insurance litigation, representing insurers in both coverage and subrogation litigation matters. Mr. Jarosch is also a qualified neutral under Rule 114 of the Minnesota General Rules of Practice. He provides mediation and arbitration services to clients, with a focus on insurance subrogation and coverage cases.
Mr. Jarosch is licensed to practice in Minnesota, Montana, and North Dakota. He is also admitted to practice in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota. He graduated Cum Laude from Boston University in 2008, earning his Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology. He earned his Juris Doctor from William Mitchell College of Law in 2013, graduating Cum Laude.
While in law school, Mr. Jarosch received the CALI award for top grade in the course for the study of Civil Procedure. He was nominated for the Burton Award for excellence in legal writing during his first year of law school. Mr. Jarosch also served as a judicial extern to Judge Howard of the Fourth Judicial District of Minnesota, Hennepin County.
Education
Boston University, B.A. 2008
William Mitchell College of Law, J.D. 2013
Job Titles:
- Managing Attorney
- Member of the California State Bar Association
- of Counsel, Los Angeles Office
Susan Benson is the managing attorney of the firm's Los Angeles office. She has more than 30 years of experience in subrogation litigation. Her career has been devoted exclusively to handling subrogation claims in the areas of homeowner, fire and automobile losses for some of the most prominent insurers and subrogation professionals in the industry.
Ms. Benson has significant experience litigating all size losses and has successfully litigated cases in every courthouse in the State of California. She prides herself in being able to provide the highest quality representation in an efficient and cost effective manner.
Ms. Benson is a former member of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Subrogation Professionals (NASP) and is served as the Co-Chair of the NASP Subro College Committee and Co-Chair of NASP's Litigation Skills and Management Conference in March, 2018. She has been instrumental in developing NASP Chapter networking and education throughout the country along with writing various Amicus briefs on behalf of NASP on important subrogation issues in California.
Ms. Benson is a member of the California State Bar Association and has presented many seminars for NASP on both the local and national levels as well as for the Claims & Litigation Management Conference and the West Coast Casualty's Construction Defect Seminar. Ms. Benson is the recipient of the 2012 NASP's President Award, the 2010 Spirit Award, and the 2009 NASP Chapter of the Year Award. She also authored "Automobile Subrogation for the New Appelman on Insurance Law Library Edition" which was published in 2015.
Ms. Benson resides in Los Angeles with her husband and two children and likes to play golf and tennis in her spare time. She has been instrumental in fund raising projects for the local schools and religious charities.
Education
University of California, Santa Barbara, BA 1983
University of West Los Angeles, School of Law, J.D., 1990
Certified Subrogation Recovery Specialist (CSRP), 2014
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Partner, Minneapolis Office
Terrence Joy is a partner in the firm's Minneapolis office. With 47 years of litigation experience, Mr. Joy's practice focuses on insurance and business litigation. He has represented insurance clients and businesses in many significant insurance coverage and recovery claims.
Mr. Joy's extensive state and federal trial experience began in 1974 with a Chicago firm, where he concentrated on arson defense cases for some of the top insurance companies in the United States. In 1980, Mr. Joy moved to Minneapolis, where he continued to practice in insurance and business litigation.
Mr. Joy earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Notre Dame, in Notre Dame, Indiana, and his Juris Doctor from Loyola University Chicago School of Law. Mr. Joy is licensed to practice in Illinois and Minnesota. He is also admitted to practice in the United States Courts of Appeals for the Seventh, Eighth, and Tenth Circuits, as well as the United States Districts Courts for Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin. He is also a member of the Trial bar for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
Mr. Joy has been a guest speaker at the Property Loss Research Bureau, the Minnesota Institute for Legal Education, the National Institute of Trial Advocacy, and at the Insurance Market Conferences in London, England. Mr. Joy's publications include "Protecting Your Client's Business When Catastrophe Strikes," The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel, December, 2000; and "Legal and Practical Subrogation Issues in the USA," London Underwriting Centre, February, 2002.
Education
University of Notre Dame, B.A. 1969
Loyola University Chicago School of Law, J.D. 1974
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Partner, Minneapolis Office
Timothy Poeschl is a partner in the firm's Minneapolis office. His practice is concentrated in civil litigation and subrogation matters. Mr. Poeschl handles subrogation cases of all sizes, primarily involving fire and water losses, collapses, commercial property loss, commercial lost profit claims, business interruption claims, and agricultural losses. Mr. Poeschl's defense matters involve personal injury and property damage on first- and third-party matters.
Mr. Poeschl has significant experience in successfully handling large loss and catastrophic loss subrogation matters involving agricultural claims of all types. He has experience handling damage to buildings housing hogs, cattle, horses, alpaca, turkeys and chickens. His experience also includes tractor fires, farm work comp claims, and farm equipment failures.
Mr. Poeschl is licensed in Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin and Michigan and is licensed to practice in federal courts in Minnesota, Colorado, Nebraska, and Iowa. In addition, Mr. Poeschl has successfully handled subrogation cases in many states across the upper Midwest, including Wyoming, Ohio, North Dakota and South Dakota.
Timothy Poeschl is a regular speaker for various entities offering CLE credits. His unique insight on subrogation claims from both the defense and subrogating carrier's perspective, along with his sense of humor, makes Mr. Poeschl a popular speaker amongst clients and other vendors.
Mr. Poeschl received his B.A. in Political Science from the University of Minnesota Duluth. He earned his law degree from William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul, MN. When he is not in court, he is next to the court coaching his sons on their traveling basketball teams. In his spare time, he competes in triathlons, and has completed six full Ironman distance races and eleven 70.3 distance races.
Education
University of Minnesota Duluth, 1994
William Mitchell College of Law, J.D., 2001
Job Titles:
- Counsel
- of Counsel, Portland Office
Waylon Pickett is of counsel with the firm's Portland office. Mr. Pickett's litigation practice focuses on subrogation, product liability, commercial property, inverse condemnation, and government tort claims. In addition to large complex litigation matters, Mr. Pickett has represented individuals and insurance industry clients in large catastrophic losses with a record of success.
Mr. Pickett's technical experience and interest in technology has proved valuable in many fire and flood related cases involving product defects and system failures. Mr. Pickett's practice also includes numerous wildland fire cases involving power utility and communication companies.
In 2021, Mr. Pickett was awarded the "California Lawyer of the Year" (CLAY) Award for his work as co-lead subrogation counsel in the Woolsey Fire matter that resulted in a $2.2 billion settlement.
Before earning his law degree from the University of California, Hastings College of Law, Mr. Pickett held a variety of positions in the electronics industry and as an audio engineer. At Hastings, Mr. Pickett was Senior Editor for the Hastings Race and Poverty Law Journal.
Education
Oregon State University, B.S. 2003
University of California, Hastings College of Law, J.D. 2006
Job Titles:
- Founding Member
- Founding Partner, Geneva Office
William Hoffmann is a founding member of Grotefeld Hoffmann. He has been engaged in the subrogation industry for over twenty-five years with a concentration in products liability and consolidation of claim matters for the insurance industry. Mr. Hoffmann has achieved an AV Preeminent Martindale-Hubbell rating, the highest possible rating for an attorney for both ethical standards and legal ability.
Mr. Hoffmann studied at the University of Oxford and graduated from Lake Forest College in 1989. He then graduated from The John Marshall Law School in 1993. Mr. Hoffmann's experience includes working for State Farm as a claims adjuster and then as a subrogation specialist in State Farm's first fire subrogation department. After obtaining his law license, Mr. Hoffmann transitioned from the insurance industry to working for one of the nation's largest subrogation law firms as an attorney.
Mr. Hoffmann's litigation experience is quite extensive, prosecuting thousands of subrogation claims including several multi-million dollar large fire losses, insurance coverage, and special investigation cases. He currently serves as national coordinating litigation counsel for three of the largest insurance companies in the nation where he coordinates the litigation and arbitration of all products liability claims against four of the largest market share home product manufacturers in the United States. Mr. Hoffmann has successfully brought consolidated litigation of product liability claims against manufacturers consolidating hundreds of subrogation claims in one lawsuit and has also appeared before the Federal Court Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation arguing for the formation of a MDL for certain product liability claims. He has also appeared for several of the largest insurance carriers in the world in MDL litigation involving product defect cases representing their collective subrogation interests.
Mr. Hoffmann has been involved in multiple organizations including the American Bar Association where he is a member of the Tort and Insurance Practice Committee and the National Association of Subrogation Professionals (NASP) where he has served as a co-chair for the General Track for the NASP National Conference, co-chair for the NASP Litigation Skills Conference, and is the former chair of the NASP Illinois Chapter. He has also been a member of the American Association for Justice where he was a committee member of the electric blanket group and has participated in the Property & Liability Research Bureau.
Mr. Hoffmann has spoken at numerous events, including recently at the March 2015 PLRB Claims Conference & Insurance Services Expo on "Defective Warnings & Subrogation," and in November of 2015 NASP National Conference on "Aggregating Claims for Aggravating Circumstances."
In addition to speaking professionally at numerous events and conferences Mr. Hoffmann has also written several articles, including recently How to Properly Answer Corporate Discovery Served Against the Subrogating Plaintiff, published in the Subrogator for NASP and Failure to Warn, an article published in the Product Liability Newsletter of the American Association for Justice.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate, Dallas Office
Zach M. Lucio is an associate at the firm's Dallas office, where he handles property subrogation litigation and construction defect litigation. Mr. Lucio also has experience handling insurance coverage litigation, trucking litigation, premises liability disputes, and appellate work.
Mr. Lucio attended The University of Texas at Dallas and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 2019. He graduated from Oklahoma City University School of Law, where he was published by the Oklahoma City University Law Review and founded and presided over the Antitrust & Competition Law Society. Mr. Lucio also relished an opportunity during law school to clerk for the Honorable Justice Dustin P. Rowe at the Supreme Court of Oklahoma. Mr. Lucio considers himself to be life-long student and believes the practice of law is a privilege that should never be taken for granted.
Mr. Lucio is licensed to practice law in Texas. He is married to his high school sweetheart, Tina Lucio. Together they live in Prosper, Texas and have two dachshunds.
Education
The University of Texas at Dallas, B.S., 2019
Oklahoma City University School of Law, J.D., 2022